When the COVID-19 pandemic required nearly everyone to stay at home and change their daily routines, Deepanwita Banerjee picked up a new hobby. She started building a miniature house. For Banerjee, who was born and raised in New Delhi, India, reusing items around the house was learned at an early age. This perspective was ingrained and continues to influence her life now — from her at-home dollhouse project to recycling genes to build more sustainable products in her role at Berkeley Lab.
Pier Matisse Roach, Event Entrepreneur
With a family friend established in the music industry, Roach grew up around stars like Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, and Stevie Wonder. After helping discover Destiny’s Child, she transitioned to coaching a Nobel Prize winning scientist at Berkeley Lab. Now, Roach is an administrator in the Biosciences Area Operations Office, working to bring that red carpet feel to everything that she does.
Julio Corral, Shepherd of Stuff
As the Property and Distribution Supervisor for the Integrative Genomics Building (IGB), Corral is responsible for keeping track of physical items in the building and equipment that’s been sent out to employees working from home. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was reporting for work in-person, masked and ready for whatever challenges the day held.
Agustin Avila Sakar, Cryo-EM Trailblazer
Agustin Avila Sakar has spent nearly his entire career learning about cryo-EM technology. Now, he’s tasked with planning the cryo-EM facility in the new BioEPIC building and understanding how it could help further the tenant groups’ breakthrough research.
Pete Andeer, Robot Wrangler
For Pete Andeer, the idea to help solve some of our planet’s larger environmental issues came while he was living and working abroad. Now he’s on the team that’s building an all-in-one experimental robot station to understand the mechanics of plant and microbe interactions like never before.
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